Alicia Keys Reveals the Transformative Power of Motherhood

Alicia Keys divulges intimate thoughts about motherhood in the September 2019 cover story of Harper’s BAZAAR.

She calls her children her “North Star” and credits them with influencing her to be “less wasteful.”

In the September 2019 cover story of Harper’s BAZAAR, a cute scene between Grammy Award-winning singer Alicia Keys and her husband plays out: “Swizz Beatz jumps into the car and excitedly shows his wife a video of their kids announcing that ‘Mommy’ will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Keys is more focused on the boys’ speech than the professional milestone. ‘Aren’t they cute?’ she says, beaming.”

It seems to be part of Keys’s character to instinctively fawn over her sons, eight-year-old Egypt and four-year-old Genesis, whom she shares with Swizz Beatz. In this exclusive Harper’s BAZAAR interview, she touches upon how motherhood has reshaped the contours of her life.

Mario Sorrenti

“Motherhood gave me a stronger sense of clarity,” the “Girl on Fire” singer says. “I used to be less aware of how I wanted to spend my time and more influenced by other people. After I had my kids, I felt like I had found my North Star. I was less wasteful; I worked more effectively.”

This isn’t the first time Keys has shared the transformative power of having children. On Mother’s Day, she posted a photo of her and her son embracing. Her caption, which partially quoted an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, More Myself, read, “What if I’m not cut out for motherhood? What if I fail at being responsible for a child—a life? What if I can’t do this? ⁣There’s probably not a person on earth who hasn’t asked those questions in some form, at some point in time. The fear of possible inadequacy is real. I felt determined to do for my child what I’d once struggled to do for myself: rid my life of all circumstances that no longer served me.”

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